Electric signaling device



(No Model.)

J. C. ONEIL. ELECTRIC SIGNALING DEVICE.

Patented July 2, 1889.l

WJTNESSES f A TTORNEYJ N4 PETERS, Phohrl-Hhograpiwr. wuhlnglon. DA C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JAMES C. ONEIL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,057, dated July 2, 1889.

Application tiled September Z9, 1888. Serial No. 286,770. No model.)

To (LZ wlw/lt t may conce/'1b.'

13e it known that l, JAMES C. ONEIIJ, of (.llevelam'l, in the county ot' Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Signaling Devices; and l do hereby lfleclare the following to be a .'full, clear, and exact description ot' the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the Same.

My invention relates to improvements in electric signaling devices for railways; and it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts hercinafer described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, the figure is a plan showing in diagram the different circuits used.

A represents a single-track railway, and A A ontposts supposed to be located some distance on either side of a crossing at A2. \Vires d c extend Yfrom one outpost to the other, the ends of these wires being normally separated, but are closed by means of circnit-closers located at of and operated by the passing train. A variety of circuit-closers suitable for the purpose are well known, and about any such device whereby the circuit is momentarily closed by the passing train will answer the purpose. Tires a c do not directly include a battery, and these wires are of course only closed one ata time by means aforesaid. The battery l is connected from the one pole thereof by means of wire l) with wire (t, wire b having in circuit magnet C. lVire b connects the other pole of the battery with wire a. \\vith such construction, whenever wires L a are connected at either end thereof, a closed circuit is established having in circuit battery l and magnet C.

C is an armature that is operated by magnets C, this armature being attached to lever C2. This lever is pivoted at c and has a hook end or toc c, and at the other extrcmehas an attachment or stop ci. ly means of springeE the armature is held separated from the cores of the magnets, except when an electric current is passed through the magnets to attract the armature.

Shafts l) and E are each members of the saine clock-work, the former revolving somewhat rapidly and the latter shaft being regu lated to move at the desired slow speed. Shaft D is provided with a lateral pin (I, the ends of which are engaged by stops c3 whenever the armature is in its elevated position, such engagement of stop and pin causingthe clockwork to stop instantly. On shaft E are mounted wheels E and E2, the former having notch e and thelatterhaving notch Notch e receives toe c, and thereby allows the opposite end of the lever to be elevated far enough to bring stop c2 in contact with the end of pin d, whereby the clockwork is stopped, as aforesaid. \Vlienever the circuit is closed at either outpost A, armature O is depressed and the clock-work is set in motion, and an instant later notch e has passed from under toe c', after which the toe rides on the periphery of the wheel, during which stop r2 cannot engage pin d, in consequence of which the clock-work (in case, as shown, of but one notch c) must run while wheel E is making a revolution. (')n the right hand in the drawing is shown another clock-work, that may be the fac-simile of the one just described, elvcept that wheel if, corresponding with wheel E2 of the opposite clock-work just described, has a projecting lugf, instead of a depression e2. Opposite lug j', and connecting therewith, is the contact-point of spring y, this spring being connected by wire G with spring y. 'lhe contact-point of the latter is located opposite notch e2, so as not to come in contact with wheel f2 when the latter is at rest in the normal position shown.

\Vires 7L and 7L connect with the respective poles of battery i3, and lead from thence and electrically connect, for instance, with shafts E and F, or with other parts of the respective clock-works, wire 7L including the electric signal or bell H. lVires vL' and L" connect with the respective poles of battery i3 and lead from thence to circuit-closer I, located at or near the crossing, so that this circuit is closed at this point by train passing the crossing in either direction. \\"irc JI includes magnet J,

the latter having a co-operating armature J', all substantially as heretofore described.

In operating the device a train approaching lfrom either direction will cause lthe main circuit to be closed as the train passes the ICO outpost, thus establishing an electric current throfugh wires a Z) a', by means of which magnets C attra'ct armature C', causing the latter to descend, whereby the clock-work at the left hand is released and set in motion, the immediate effect of which is to cause spring g to engage thc periphery of wheel E2, and thus establish a short circuit that includes the signal, wlich latter is consequently sounded, and as toe c cannot enter notch e until wheel E has made a revolution'the signal continues to sound until such time as the clock-work is stopped by means aforesaid, the relation of parts being such that when this occurs the point of spring g will be opposite notch c2, with the short circuit broken and with the parts at the place of beginning and ready for another signal, the train meantime having` presumedly passed or made its near approach to the crossing, so that the signal for such train is no longer needed. Now, if no interposing mechanism were provided, the signal would sound again as the outgoing train passed the other outpost, and teams would likely wait at the crossing, hearing the signal and hearing the train, but not knowing that the train was speeding away in the distance instead of approaching the crossing. XVith the construction shown, as the train passes in the \f'icin'ity of the crossing and engages circuitcloser I, the circuit of wires t' t" is closed, this circuit including` battery B and magnet J, whereupon the clock-work at the right hand is set in motion, the immediate effect of which is to turn lugf away from its engagement with spring g, and thus break the short circuit that alone can operate the signal. Thisshort or signal circuit of course remains unbroken while wheel F is making a revolution-a time supposed to be amplefor the passage of the train beyond the outpost. To recapitulate, a train approaching the crossing from either direction causes the signal to sound; but the same train at or near the crossing cuts out the signal device, so that it cannot sou nd while the train is passing away from the crossing.

The clock-work may be varied indefinitely. When attendance is convenient a clock-work that requires winding .everyday wouldnot be seriously objectionable. In other places an eight-day clock-work, or one that would require winding not oftenerthan once a month, might be desirable. Also, the notched wheels, for instance wheels E and E2, in place of having one notch each, as shown, may have two or more notches each, if preferred, the speed of the wheel being regulated accordingly, so that a suitable time will elapse for sounding the signal while the wheels are passing the distance from one notch to another.

To avoid any possible confusion in tracing the different circuits I will state that the short or signal circuit consists of wires 7L 7L and G, springs g g', and such intervening portions of the respective clock-works as the electric current follows in passing from wire 7i to spring g', and from 'spring g to wire L, or vice versa.

Various modifications will be readily suggested to electricians. For instance, Wheel E2, instead of having notch c2, may have an insulating-block inserted at this point, which would answer the same purpose; also, wheel F might have an insulating-surface exceptat contact-pointy, if so preferred.

l. In a railroad-signal, the combination, with circuit-closers located in proximity to and on opposite sides of a crossing, a metallic circuit including both of said circuit-clos ers, and a battery, of an electro-magnet in circuit with either of said circuit-closers, an armature, a mechanically-driven circuitcloser controlled by said magnet, a mechanically-driven circuit-breaker, an electro-inagnet for controlling the same, a circuit ineluding the inechanically-driven circuit closer and breaker, the battery and an alarm, a track circuit-closer atthe crossing, and a circuit including the latter-named circuit-closer, the battery and electro-magnet of the mechanically-driven circuit-breaker, substantially as set forth.

In a railroad-signal, the combination, with electric circuits adapted to be made and broken by a passing train, electro-magnets,

and armature-lever carrying armature, of

1nochanically-driven motors, a revoluble circuit-closer comprising two disks carried by a shaft of one of said motors, one of said disksV In testimony whereof I sign this specifica-- tion, in the presence of two Witnesses, this 23d day of August, 1888.

J AMES C. ONEIL.

Witnesses:

CHAs. H. DoRER, XV. E. DONNELLY.

IOO

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